1. Field of the Invention
The present invention provides systems, apparatus, software, and methods for providing policy-based access to various user resources, such as, but not limited to restricted areas and devices (e.g., machines and vehicles). The present invention has application in the fields of security systems, computer science, and electronic communications.
2. The Related Art
Many situations in industry, business, and other aspects of modern life require controlled access to particular locations, machines, or other equipment. Often such situations arise because personnel and other individuals can safely or securely access such locations and devices when in possession of one or more devices, such as hard-hats, reinforced foot protection, breathing apparatus, safety harnesses, protective clothing, fire ground safety and rescue gear, and the like. In order to establish such controlled access, a management function, e.g., a safety or security committee, establishes policies setting forth the various requirements and rules to allow individuals access to the locations and devices that fall within the scope of the policy. Establishing and enforcing such policies is often important to protect businesses from theft and insurance claims arising from accidents.
Enforcing these policies, however, is not easy. Often personnel trained in the policy and its enforcement must be provided to watch the location or device to detect violators, which necessitates expensive training and outfitting. The personnel must also have authority to intercept potential violators and stop possibly violating actions. Such requirements can create conditions that create further risks by putting employees in conflict, which can create strains in an organization. Moreover, the enforcement process is itself often inefficient, with gaps in coverage or errors in observation of personnel causing violations of access policies.
It would thus be useful to have a more automated system of enforcing policy-based access to resources. The benefits of such a system would be the removal, or reduction, of human error in enforcement; the removal of potential conflicting situations between employees; and the reduction in cost to provide needed oversight. But the availability of these systems is severely limited by the need to provide specialized equipment and the limited scope of enforcement.
In particular, current systems cannot reliably determine, if at all, whether personnel have necessary equipment (e.g., safety equipment like hard-hats) when seeking access to a policy controlled resource like a construction site or heavy machinery. The present invention meets these and other needs.